


Truth or Dare, For Two

by LSUsweetie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Fred Weasley Lives, Oral Sex, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Truth Spells, Truth or Dare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:40:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23655487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LSUsweetie/pseuds/LSUsweetie
Summary: Several years after the war, Fred and Hermione are the only singles left in their group of friends.  What will happen when he invites her over for a friendly Valentine's Day dinner?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley
Comments: 119
Kudos: 450





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started this story with the intention of posting it for Valentine's Day. That obviously didn't happen. Now, with all the craziness in the world, fluff is in high demand. This is my fluff contribution. I hope that this will give you a small break from any stress that you're experiencing. 
> 
> Thank you to my amazing alpha/beta RooOJoy. Like me, she's at home with kids who suddenly don't have school. Even with limited time, she was willing to help make this story so much better than it was when I sent it to her! Any mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Please leave me a review if you enjoy this story!  
> While this story hasn't been fully brit picked, I want to thank Moonfairy13 for always being willing to answer my questions about British items and phrases. Several of those things have been included in this story. Please excuse any leftover Americanisms that I may have overlooked.
> 
> My friend Moonfairy13 had the fantastic idea to form a "Fremione Fluff Trail" to get us all through this time of social isolation. She's been posting a wonderful story called Salve Amor. The final chapter of that will post on Wednesday morning. If you haven't read her story yet, I recommend it! https://archiveofourown.org/works/23128567

Chapter One

Chastising herself for giving in to the temptation once again, she snaked her hand into her trouser pocket, closing her fingers over the object nestled there. Feeling her face heat though there was no one around to witness her moment of weakness, she glanced down at the parchment she now held. It was beginning to show signs of wear at the creases where she’d repeatedly unfolded and refolded the note over the past few days since it had arrived. There had been nothing unusual about the message or the request. They had become the best of friends in the years since the war had ended, so why _couldn’t_ he ask her to come over for a friendly dinner? Why did a stupid, bloody, romantic holiday have to make it feel like so much... more? 

_Mi,_

_If you don’t have plans for Valentine’s Day, come hang out with me. We can keep each other company while the others are all out with their sweethearts. I’ll even cook for you._

_You can give me your opinion on the new line of Muggle games that George and I are developing. You were the inspiration for them after all. We enjoyed playing the ones that you brought over so much that we wanted to market them for the wizarding world._

_Yours,_

_Fred xx_

She’d quickly agreed. There had been no reason to decline, and honestly, there was no one she would rather be with. 

As the day drew nearer, however, she had become more anxious and she wasn’t sure why. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Those pesky unrequited feelings were the problem. That and the fact that no matter how much she claimed that Valentine’s Day was meaningless to her, she would give anything to have that kind of romance in her life. Especially if it came from a certain Weasley twin.

Now that the day had arrived and she was due at Fred’s flat above his shop in just under an hour, her nerves had taken on a life of their own. Hermione paced back and forth in front of her open wardrobe contemplating her choices. She wanted to look nice, of course, but she didn’t want to overdo it and look like she was trying too hard... like she expected this to be a date. “Ugh,” she groaned in frustration, closing her eyes and scrubbing her hands over her face. It shouldn’t be this difficult to dress for a casual dinner with a close friend. Forcing herself to calm down, she took a moment to breathe, she could do this. 

Feeling less frantic, she grabbed a snug ribbed-knit jumper in a lovely crimson shade. Recalling that Fred had once commented on how soft it was, she smiled to herself before pulling it over her head. Knowing just what she needed now, she reached for her favorite pair of dark denim jeans. Turning in front of the mirror, she took in her appearance and knew that she’d made the right decision. The outfit hugged her curves, accentuating them in just the right way and gave her just the boost of confidence that she would need to get through the evening. Adding a comfortable pair of low heeled boots, she went into the bathroom to apply a light dusting of makeup to complete her look. 

Checking the time, she picked up the small gift bag she’d prepared, not wanting to arrive empty-handed, and stepped through the Floo before she could talk herself out of it. As she landed in Fred’s grate, she was assaulted by delicious scents wafting in from the kitchen. 

“Fred,” she called out, “I’m here.” Stepping from the fireplace, she used her wand to siphon off the soot and then smiled up at a beaming Fred Weasley as butterflies began to flutter wildly in her stomach at the sight of him. 

Stepping forward, he kissed her cheek. “Wow, Mi, you look lovely. I’m really happy you could come tonight.” Gesturing toward the bag in her hand, he asked hopefully, “Is that for me?”

Laughing, she nodded. “It is.” She handed it over, noting the look of joyful anticipation on his face. That was part of why she cared for Fred so much. While he had grown and matured the past few years. His near-death experience at the battle of Hogwarts had made him much more serious. He had retained an almost childlike appreciation of the simple things and his love of jokes and pranks, but he now considered how a prank could affect others before going through with it. 

As he opened the bag, Hermione watched, eager to see his reaction, knowing that he would enjoy what she’d brought him. She’d happened upon a retro sweet shop in Muggle London several weeks before. When he invited her for dinner, she returned to make a purchase and knew that Fred would like the sweets that she’d chosen. 

When he saw what was inside, his face lit up. Then, he shocked Hermione by grabbing her into such an enthusiastic embrace that her feet actually left the ground. “Thank you! This is brilliant! Are they all Muggle sweets?” 

“Yes, and those little packets, the ones called Space Dust, are different fruit flavors. When you put them on your tongue, they pop and feel like tiny explosions in your mouth.” When he didn’t release her and instead began to spin in circles, she added, “I’m happy that you’re pleased,” she laughed. When the spinning combined with his close proximity began to make her feel dangerously lightheaded, she poked a finger playfully into his shoulder asking, “Do you think you can put me down now?” 

Chuckling, he set her on her feet and caught her by surprise when he linked his fingers through hers, tugging her excitedly toward the kitchen. Hermione drew up short when she entered the room. The unexpectedly romantic atmosphere caused the strange combination of confusion and hope to well inside her simultaneously. 

“Fred,” she whispered in a breathless voice that she didn’t recognize as her heart threatened to jump from her chest. “What’s all of this?” Subtly taking calming breaths, she surveyed the room absorbing the details of everything he’d done. The table was covered with a white linen cloth, a trio of votives surrounding a vase containing red rosebuds adorned the center. Their places were set with fine china and crystal glassware that she’d never seen before. On the counter, there was a silver ice bucket holding a bottle of champagne. 

Glancing over at Fred after she finished taking in all that he’d done, she saw that he was smiling softly at her. With a little wink, he brought the hand that he still held to his lips, kissing it lightly before releasing her fingers to wrap an arm around her waist. Leaning in, he spoke into her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine as it brushed against her skin, “You deserve a nice Valentine’s Day. You do so much for everyone. I just wanted to do something nice for you.” 

With her insides quivering so wildly that she was afraid that she was physically shaking, Hermione managed to gasp out, “Th...Thank you, it’s truly lovely.” Feeling her face heat, she hoped that the low light would prevent Fred from noticing her blush. He was only being a sweet friend. She did not want to answer awkward questions right now. 

Holding out his arm in a purposefully ostentatious way, Fred said, “Please allow me to escort you to your table m’lady.”

Thankful that his playful actions helped her to move past the potential embarrassment, she played along. Inclining her head and taking his proffered arm. “Of course, good sir.”

When she was seated, he pushed in her chair and served her. She smiled up at him in thanks for the sweet gesture, her stomach flipping over when their eyes met. He peered down at her, quirking his eyebrows in his effortlessly suave way before admitting a little sheepishly, “I intended to cook for you myself, but that turned into a bit of a disaster. Thankfully, a restaurant in Muggle London was more than happy to prepare our meal.” 

Hermione looked down at her plate then back up to stare at Fred open-mouthed. Before her was a plate of perfectly cooked Beef Wellington, steamed asparagus, and fluffy mashed potatoes. “You didn’t have to go to all of this trouble. You know that I would have been more than happy with fish and chips, or a pizza for that matter. I’m not fussy.”

Reaching across the table, he placed his hand over hers. “I know you’re not. That’s precisely why you deserve it all, and I decided that you should have it.”

Feeling her eyes prick with the threat of tears, Hermione looked down, willing herself not to cry. Lifting her head to meet his eyes, fully aware of the emotion still reflected in hers. She simply said, “Thank you,” afraid that her voice would break if she attempted to say anything more. In the years that had passed since the end of the war, she hadn’t had a shortage of dates. The men were nice enough, but none of them had made her feel a fraction of what she felt for Fred. Now, this… if anyone had ever had a chance, he’d ruined it in a single evening. She wished with all of her heart that this could be real. 

As they ate the delicious meal, Fred put her at ease with stories of the chaos their customers had caused recently. One such incident had occurred that very afternoon. “You see, we bred some pygmy puffs especially for Valentine’s Day. They are all vibrant shades of pink and red. This tiny, cherubic girl —probably around five or six was absolutely enamored with them. She begged for one, but her mum was adamant that they were not getting another pet. Apparently, they have a cat that wouldn’t take a new addition so well.”

Fred paused, sipping his wine. Hermione waited, eyeing him expectantly, knowing that his natural storytelling abilities had kicked in and he was building anticipation. With a smirk, he set his glass on the table and continued. “The sweet little darling wouldn’t take no for an answer. Well… she was apparently _really_ upset, because she had this sudden burst of accidental magic and the cage that held the puffs vanished. They. Were. Everywhere. It took us hours to chase down all the little buggers.”

By the time he was done, Hermione was laughing so hard that she had to clutch at her sides. When she’d calmed enough to form words, she asked, “Did the little girl get a puff?”

“Nope. Her mum dragged her out of the shop as she had a tantrum of epic proportions—put even Ron to shame.”

Shaking her head at the mention of Ron’s famous temper, Hermione glanced down at her nearly empty plate. “I’m stuffed. Truly, I don’t think I can eat another bite. This was amazing. Thank you.”

“I hope you saved room for just a bit of dessert. That I did make myself… Tell you what, why don’t we take a glass of champagne and the plate of dessert into the sitting room. We can nibble and sip while I show you our board game prototypes. There’s one I would love for you to test out with me.” Fred paused, waggling his eyebrows up and down, a devilish smirk on his face. “I need your opinion.”

Shoving down the worry over what he may have planned, she nodded, rising from her chair, intending to help him clear the dishes. Fred stopped her. “You don’t help tonight. This is all for your enjoyment. I’ll banish all of this to the sink and deal with it later. Go have a seat on the sofa, and I’ll be in with your champagne and dessert in a moment.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to RooOJoy for her amazing alpha and beta skills! Any overlooked mistakes are my own.
> 
> This update is happening a little sooner than I expected. Life is a little crazy at the moment, so I'm certain that weekly updates won't happen for every chapter. I hope everyone is safe and well during this scary time!

Hermione felt a resurgence of nerves as she made her way to the sitting room. While Fred had assured her that they would simply be playing and testing their version of a Muggle board game, things were never that simple with the Weasley twins. Being asked to test a Wheezes’ product was always a reason for concern. 

Removing her boots and sitting cross-legged on the sofa, she forced herself to relax. She could always refuse if she didn’t like what he wanted her to play. 

Fred entered the room quickly, grinning as his eyes fell on her comfortable position. He was carrying a platter of chocolate-covered strawberries, and two flutes of champagne, while a stack of boxes hovered behind him. Putting everything down on the low table in front of the sofa, he kicked off his shoes and flopped down next to her. 

Passing her one of the glasses he began to go through the boxes, explaining what they’d done with each game. There was a Monopoly with places such as Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and Hogsmead; a magical version of Battleship where the ships really sank; and a Scrabble board that counted your score for you, and accepted words for potions, spells, and charms. 

It was ingenious really. Hermione was excited, she adored games and these brought her back to her childhood. She was itching to play both Scrabble and Monopoly, but it was clear when he put away the pieces and closed the lids, that those weren’t the ones that Fred intended her to test. Impatient now, she stared at the unopened box that still rested on the table. Taking a strawberry, she waited while Fred banished the other games back to the cupboard where they were stored. 

When everything was put away, Fred turned his attention to her. She knew that she was staring at the box with a suspicious look on her face, but she couldn’t help it. Chuckling, he grabbed a strawberry for himself. With growing apprehension, she watched as he inspected the chocolate-covered fruit before taking an impossibly dainty bite. He took his time, chewing slowly, appearing to savor the treat. When he lifted the berry to his mouth again, she blew out an annoyed breath, narrowing her eyes when he winked cheekily in response. 

Quickly swallowing the rest, he laughed. “Sorry, love, I couldn’t resist. It’s too easy to get you going. I won’t keep you waiting any longer.”

Opening the lid of the box, he drew out four stacks of color-coded cards. After making piles on the table, he turned to face her. “What we have here is Truth or Dare.”

“NO! Absolutely not! Do you think I’m mental? I’m not playing  _ that  _ with  _ you _ .”

“Hermione, please, hear me out.” Fred spoke in soft soothing tones, obviously hoping to calm her down. “I promise it’s nothing bad. This is your night. I wouldn’t make you do anything that will make you upset on a night that I’ve declared to be about you. Please, can you at least let me explain before you decide?”

Huffing in resignation, Hermione knew that there was a very good chance that he was going to talk her into this. “Fine. I’ll listen, but no promises.”

Flashing her a brilliant smile, Fred began to explain. “The four different stacks of cards are different categories. The blue ones are truth cards with generic questions, purple are dare cards with basic dares, red are consequence cards so that you have an out if you don’t want to answer or do your dare.” As he spoke, he indicated which card was which. He paused, and she was just about to ask a question when he rushed on. “Oh, I nearly forgot. We have them charmed so that you can indicate who is playing the game. You simply tap the cards and pick which type of group is playing.” Before continuing, he demonstrated by tapping the deck and saying, “Single adults. There are different generic cards for different groups. There are options for kids, teens, families, single adults, and groups of attached adults.”

She had to admit that they’d thought of everything. Remembering her question, she asked, “What about those?” Pointing to the ones he hadn’t explained. 

“Those are the best part of our game. They are blank. Each player gets three of those per game. They can be used for any of the other three categories at any time.”

“Fred…” Hermione began, an uneasy feeling suddenly overwhelming her. She didn’t want to let him down, but this had disaster potential.”

“Wait,” he said, throwing his hands up in protest. “I promise,” he paused, shaking his head, “No, I solemnly swear that I will not make you do anything that you truly don’t want to do.”

Hermione chewed on her lip. She did want to play. She could think of some good uses for her set of blank cards. There were definitely things she wanted to know. Absentmindedly tracing patterns on the arm of the sofa, she mulled it over. Sighing deeply, knowing that she would quite possibly regret this, she hesitantly agreed. “Okay.”

“Really? You’re amazing! I promise you won’t regret this!” He exclaimed, lunging forward and planting a kiss on her cheek.

Internally cursing the blasted butterflies that resumed fluttering in her tummy, Hermione murmured, “I better not.”

Fred began to fidget nervously. Hermione knew then that there was something he hadn’t told her. She observed as he adjusted the already perfect stacks of cards before reaching up to run his fingers through his hair. After several seconds, he finally spoke. “There is one teensy, tiny thing that I didn’t mention…”

Of course there was. She shouldn’t have expected less. Meeting Fred’s gaze, eyebrows raised, she asked through gritted teeth, “What is it?”

As she waited for his answer, she watched him carefully. The image of a puppy begging for food from the table suddenly invaded her mind. His soft brown eyes conveyed this hopeful innocence, but there was a canny cleverness lurking, with a plan to get exactly what he wanted. She knew that she couldn’t forget that, but she found it difficult to concentrate when she was around him. 

He explained, “Well, you see, there’s a truth spell on the game. While the cards are in play, we won’t be able to lie. You can refuse to answer, it won’t compel you to speak. It will simply prevent a lie if you choose to answer.”

Seeing how much he clearly wanted her to play, she knew she couldn’t say no. “Fine,” she sighed. “You better not make me sorry that I said yes. I promise that you will regret it if you do.”

His eyes lit up then and she couldn’t help but think that it was all worth it just for that reaction. “Brilliant! Let’s get started then. Shall I go first, or you?”

“I will ask the first question.” Hermione wanted to be sure that her choice was explicitly clear. “Before I do, I have another question about the rules. How do we determine when the game is over?”

“That’s easy. Each player must use all of their blank cards. Once that is done, the game can be ended at any time the players decide they are done.” He waited for her to acknowledge this. At her answering nod, he asked, “Ready?”

“I suppose.”

Chuckling, he said, “Well, go on then.”

“Truth or dare?”

“Dare, of course.”

Hermione considered her options. She decided that she wanted to get a feel for the generic questions and dares before she utilized her blank cards. Drawing the top purple card, she read in horror realizing that this would involve her as well. “Using only your mouth, transfer an ice cube into the mouth of the person sitting closest to you.” She could feel her face heating as she finished reading the dare. 

Fred sat there grinning. Why wasn’t he as uncomfortable as she? Moving his eyebrows up and down in a suggestive way, he said, “Ice would work of course. We don’t have any, but I could easily make it. However, if you will allow a substitution, I have a better idea.” Winking at her for the umpteenth time that evening, he took a strawberry from the plate before them. Removing the top and stem, he popped it into his mouth and leaned toward her. 

With the rushing sound of her own heartbeat thundering in her ears, she took a deep breath and leaned in, taking the strawberry from him. The inevitable contact, the lightest brush of lips against lips caused everything else to fade away. It hadn’t been a kiss–exactly. Yet, it elicited a response that even she hadn’t seen coming. She felt as if she could literally float away on the waves of happiness and contentment that seemed to be emanating from her very soul. 

When she finally dared a glance at Fred, she saw that he was watching her intently. An expression that she couldn’t possibly interpret graced his handsome face. Wanting nothing more than to move past what could easily become an embarrassing moment, she finished chewing the bite of strawberry and suggested, “Shall we continue?”

With one last searching look, Fred nodded. “It’s your turn then, love. Truth or dare?”

Buggar! She suggested a return to the game as a way to escape, completely forgetting that it was her turn. 

“Umm… I guess I’ll go with dare too.” No! Why had she said that? Why didn’t she stop and think before speaking? She was far too flustered from the non-kiss to think rationally at the moment. 

Fred reached out and took a card with what seemed to her to be deliberate slowness. His tongue darted out to wet his lips as he silently studied the card in his hand. Her body responded immediately to that action and she wanted desperately to snog him senseless. When he lifted his eyes to meet hers, he gave her a smirk that made her regret her momentary lapse in judgment. She should have never agreed to this game. What  _ was  _ on that card? 

“Write a note to the person you are interested in romantically. You are not required to send it off, but you do have to allow the other players to read what you’ve written.”

WHAT? NO! She couldn’t. Looking around, suddenly desperate for an escape, she shook her head. Finding her voice she said, “No, I don’t think that’s something I want to do.”

Fred lifted a single brow, watching her intently. “Well then, we can find out what the consequence card has to say if you prefer.” He moved his hand, leaving it hovering over the stack of consequences.

Hermione’s mind whirled. What to do? She was sure that the consequence would be worse than the dare. This was not a choice that she wanted to make. Forcing herself to slow down and think things through, she asked, “May I see the card with the dare? I just want to read it again for myself before I decide.”

Fred passed it over. She read it three times before the way out came to her. Smiling now, she passed the card back to him and requested, “I’ll have some parchment and a quill then, please.”

“So to be clear, you’ve decided to go through with the dare. Is that correct?”

“Yes, I’m doing the dare.”

Fred appeared surprised but happy about her decision. Grabbing his wand, he summoned a quill and parchment. Passing it over to her, he sat back and appeared to be waiting. 

Feeling a little uncomfortable having him watch her write this particular missive, she asked, “Do you think you can give me some privacy for a few minutes? I know that you’re going to read it in the end but it feels strange having you watch me actually do the writing.”

Nodding, Fred rose. “I’ll just be in the kitchen then. Let me know when you’re done.”

Putting all her attention on her task, Hermione began to write… A short while later, she read over what she’d written. It wasn’t ideal but the truth charm compelled her to be completely honest even while writing. Steeling herself, she called Fred back into the room.

As he entered, she studied his face. Having made it a habit to pay attention to Fred Weasley’s moods and expressions, she realized that he seemed almost anxious. Before she could consider why that may be, he held out his hand for the parchment she was clutching tightly to her chest. “Let’s see it then.”

Passing it over, she paced as he settled onto the sofa to read. Almost immediately, he shot her a look that held pride, amusement, and something else that Hermione couldn’t decipher. “You sneaky little minx. This right here is precisely why I wanted you to play the game with me. If anyone is able to find a way to circumvent the wording, it’s you. I’ll just make a note about needing to make sure that the  _ name  _ of the person the letter is intended for is actually on the letter somewhere, then I’ll get to reading. I do still want to know what you had to say.”

Hermione smirked at him. Hiding the fact that she was still nervous for him to read her words. She was terrified that he would realize even without a name. 

She watched as he took out a tiny muggle notebook and a pen and made a notation. Then he sat back and read her note. Knowing what he was reading made her mouth go dry. Desperate for relief, and needing something to steady her nerves, she grabbed her glass and downed half of the contents. 

_ My love,  _

_ You can’t possibly know this but my heart belongs to you. I realize that you only view me as a platonic friend and that’s okay. Having you in my life in any way is enough for me. You bring me more joy than you can possibly know.  _

_ Sometimes in a moment of weakness, I consider telling you how I feel, but I can’t risk it. I can’t take the chance of making our friendship uncomfortable or awkward. You mean far too much to me for that.  _

_ I love you more than you could know.  _

_ Yours, _

_ Hermione xx _

  
  


When he’d finished reading, he studied her intently for a few moments before speaking. “Lucky bloke. He’d want to know. I hope you realize that. Any guy would be thrilled to have someone like you. I really hope that he deserves someone as special as you. Will you think about telling him at least?”

“I can’t,” she whispered, tears filling her eyes. Despair threatened to overcome her at the thought of risking his friendship for the tiny chance that he could ever return her feelings.

Fred was at her side instantly, a comforting arm thrown around her shoulders. “You can, and you should. Trust me. He would want to know.”

She shook her head. “Please, just leave it.”

Nodding, Fred gave her a final squeeze before relaxing back with his arm still around her. “Let’s continue then.”

Taking a shuddering breath, Hermione agreed. “Okay. Truth or dare, then?”

“I suppose I’ll change it up and go with truth this time.”

Hermione felt emotionally wrung out and they hadn’t even begun to use their blank cards. She considered using one just to speed things up but decided against it because she thought she may need them once Fred got started. She needed to be smart about this. Reaching over, she drew a truth card. Reading the question, Hermione was nearly giddy with glee. Let’s see how Fred liked it when the tables were turned. Giving him what she knew was a slightly evil smile, she read aloud, “What are the qualities you admire most in the person you are romantically interested in?”

Fred sighed, but began speaking immediately. “She’s intelligent, and kind—seriously the most caring person I know. She’s also stunningly beautiful, but I don’t think she realizes how gorgeous she is. Therefore, she is not vain in the least which makes her even more attractive. Honestly, she’s just amazing.”

As Fred spoke, he stared directly into her eyes, his expression intense. Briefly, she wondered if there could possibly be hope, but she immediately dismissed that thought. She wasn’t beautiful, not in the way he was describing. While she knew she was at least somewhat attractive, cute maybe, she wasn’t someone that would ever be described as stunning or gorgeous. When he was done speaking, she whispered, “She sounds wonderful.”

Fred smiled softly. “She really is.”

“Does she know?”

He shook his head. “No. I haven’t told her for reasons similar to the ones you said kept you from telling your guy.”

“You should tell her. I promise that any girl would be interested. You’re quite the catch.”

Instead of responding, he smiled again, this time a little sadly before asking, “Truth or dare?”

Considering the repercussions of each, she nervously went with, “Truth,” hoping she wouldn’t regret it. She could certainly think of one question that she did not want him to ask.

When Fred reached for a blank card, she groaned internally. Bullocks, this was it. She considered taking a consequence if he asked that, but she knew that it could be even worse. What was the worst that could happen if she admitted her feelings?

Before she could ponder that further Fred began his question. “What happened between you and Ron?”

Nearly sighing with relief, Hermione answered with a smile. “Absolutely nothing. We kissed briefly during the Battle at Hogwarts, but we had an honest discussion afterward. That happened only because we truly thought we would die. It was one of those ‘this may be our last chance’ kind of situations. Honestly, though, I felt nothing when I kissed him.”  _ It wasn’t anything like that almost kiss we had earlier. _ She had to fight to keep the errant thought from slipping easily off her tongue. Damn that stupid truth charm!

“After everything settled down, I admitted to him that I’d felt nothing, and I wanted us to just be friends like we’d always been. I was terrified that he was going to be upset. To my relief, he felt the same way and was trying to find a way to tell me.”

Was it her imagination or did Fred seem happy? Shaking it off, she asked, “Truth or dare, Mr. Weasley?” 

“Truth.”

Hermione was surprised. She was certain he would choose a dare. His choice excited her though because she had a question in mind. Grabbing a blank card of her own, she asked, “Were you ever interested in Angie? I know that the two of you went to Yule Ball together, but she ended up with George. How did that happen?”

She thought she saw Fred’s face fall briefly, but his smile was back in place so quickly that she couldn’t be sure. Had he wanted her to ask a different question? She pushed it out of her mind when he answered easily, “I only asked her because I found out that the witch I’d wanted to ask was going with someone else. Georgie wanted to ask her himself, but Katie asked him to go with her as a friend before he worked up the nerve. She and Wood had just broken up and he felt bad saying no to her. So, I asked Ang instead.” Smiling broadly he said, “Your turn, truth or dare?”

Automatically she replied, “Truth,” then regretted it immediately when she saw the satisfied smirk on Fred’s face. The prat had lulled her into a false sense of security, and now he was going to ask the question she dreaded. “So, Hermione, who exactly is the bloke you have a romantic interest in? Just to be perfectly clear, I’m asking for his name.”

Hermione’s heart dropped into her stomach. It was just as she’d suspected and feared. How on earth could she answer that? 

Just then, a feminine voice called out from where her head was now visible in the fire, “Freddie, love, you in there? Can I pop in? I left my jumper when I was there Saturday night.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moonfairy13, thank you for being willing to step in and beta this for me when my original beta had to step away due to real-life obligations. I truly appreciate it!

Chapter Three

Fred immediately turned to face Hermione, grabbing her hand and squeezing gently. Quietly he told her, “I’ll get rid of her. This isn’t what it sounds like. Vanessa is a friend of Angie’s and was only here with her and George. She must have planted the jumper here somewhere, hoping to return. They were literally only here for five minutes that night.” His eyes, full of concern, searched hers, silently imploring her to trust him. 

Feeling her heart sink, Hermione couldn’t believe she thought for even a moment that it was possible he returned her feelings. How stupid could she be? Unable to trust her voice, she only nodded, lowering her gaze to where their hands were joined. 

Still feeling his eyes on her, she kept her head down as he withdrew his hand and rose to walk into the entry hall where the Floo was located. The sudden absence of the comforting weight of his hand increased the sense of despair that threatened to overwhelm her. She couldn’t cry. That would expose her more than any of the truth or dare questions possibly could. She would simply have to hold out until she could make her excuses and leave. There was no other option. 

Although Hermione could clearly see the woman, who was stunningly beautiful, from her vantage point at the end of the sofa, she was determined to ignore Fred’s conversation. After allowing herself a quick peek to satisfy her curiosity, she lowered her gaze again and began to mentally recite passages from her favorite childhood book,  _ The Secret Garden _ . Because she’d successfully trained herself to block out external noises, it was the tone of Fred’s voice rather than his words that broke into her thoughts. He sounded annoyed and angry. Fred wasn’t someone who was upset easily. Wondering what the issue was, she began to listen shamelessly. 

Now that she’d committed to listening, she wanted to see what was going on as well. Shifting slightly, she hid her face behind her hair. It obscured her vision, but allowed her to see enough. Watching, she saw that Fred stood stiffly, his arms crossed over his chest. His body language was a stark contrast to his usual laid back stance. His voice raised, “Look, I’ve told you on three other occasions that I’m not interested. That isn’t changing. I’ve tolerated you because you are Angie’s friend, but no more. You’re not welcome here.” He stepped back and gestured down the hallway, “Go retrieve whatever you managed to plant here when you used my loo, and leave. I would like to get back to my guest – who  _ was  _ invited to be here.”

Hermione could see when the woman noticed her presence. Her eyes flicked over to where Hermione sat on the sofa in her stockinged feet. Clearly taking in her appearance, she smirked, pursing red lips that had unquestionably been enhanced by plumping potion. Turning back to Fred, she placed a hand tipped with perfectly manicured nails painted precisely the same shade as her mouth on his arm. “You can’t possibly want to spend Valentine’s Day with  _ her _ . What is this, a pity date, lost a bet?” Looking him up and down with obvious desire, she purred, “I can give you exactly the kind of Valentine’s Day that any man would want, the kind of night you deserve.”

Initially a little embarrassed at having been caught eavesdropping, Hermione quickly brushed her hair back from her face and sank further into the sofa cushions. As she watched the rest of the exchange between Fred and this woman, she began to grow angry. She was aware that she wasn’t as blatantly sexual as this witch, and she understood perfectly well why some men preferred the look of provocative clothing. However, she wasn’t the type to sit back and be dismissed as insignificant. If Fred only wanted friendship, that would be his choice to make, but she was here and this… this… bitch was trying to do just that. Taking a calming breath, she waited, wanting to give Fred a chance to deal with Vanessa on his own. She was curious to see what he would do. 

Fred jerked his arm away and looked at the blonde beauty with a disgusted expression. “I told you already, Vanessa, I’m not interested in you. There’s  _ nothing _ I want from you. I can assure you that my evening with Hermione is exactly what I want. In fact, there’s  _ no one _ else that I would rather be with.” 

Turning to Hermione, he smiled reassuringly. Speaking calmly, he asked, “Love, do you mind topping off our glasses? I’ll be done with this in a second, and I could use a bit of refreshment.”

Dumbfounded, and still unsure if Fred actually meant what he was saying about preferring to be with her, she busied herself with the champagne just to have  _ something  _ to do. 

Vanessa looked positively enraged. She rolled her eyes, and asked in an icy tone, “What could you possibly see in her? What man in his right mind would choose her over me?”

Fred laughed humorlessly. “I don’t think you really want to hear the answer to that. You’re not going to like what I have to say.” 

“Try me.”

“Alright then, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Fred’s voice was cold and Hermione hoped she was never on the receiving end of this kind of treatment. Thinking back, she didn’t think she’d ever heard him speak to anyone this way before. She watched with a horrified interest as he began to list off the reasons. “Hermione is beautiful. She’s the most amazing woman that I’ve ever met and there’s no one that could possibly compare to her. You don’t stand a chance. You never did, but coming in here, insulting her and dressed like what my mum would call a brazen hussy - though I could think of a few other choice words that I’m too much of a gentleman to call you out loud. I’m not going to ask again. Get your shit and leave. Now!”

Shooting them a dark look but without another word, the woman stalked down the hallway to the loo. Hermione could clearly hear the airing cupboard door being opened and realized that Fred had been truthful about the other witch planting her jumper as an excuse to return later. Before she could fully process that, Vanessa was back and had rounded on Hermione. 

“He will never be satisfied with someone like you. You must be a family friend or something to have him so obviously make up ridiculous lies to keep you happy.”

Hermione had a moment of fear when she realized that she was indeed a family friend, and Fred wouldn’t want to upset her like that, but then something else registered. Giving an audible gasp, she looked up and met Fred’s worried gaze. Her entire body began to vibrate and a joyful smile slowly spread across her face. As it did, Fred beamed at her, relieved delight enhancing his already handsome features. “Finally figured it out, have you?”

An angry cry reminded them that they still had an uninvited guest to deal with. “What are the two of you so happy about all of a sudden?”

With a smirk that would have had anyone who knew her cowering in fear, Hermione spoke up. Her voice dripping with a sweetness that conveyed annoyance and sarcasm. “Please, allow me to explain. Before you so rudely interrupted our night, we had begun playing a game. This particular game uses a truth charm as long as the cards are in play. Since we hadn’t finished, the truth charm is still very much active and neither Fred nor I are able to lie. 

She almost felt sorry for the woman as the reality dawned on her. Her face contorted with what appeared to be fury and disappointment, and she hastily grabbed Floo powder, stepped back into the Floo, and was gone without another word. 

Fred turned to Hermione as the flames died down. He spoke quietly. His eyes shining. “We have to finish the game. I’m still waiting for your answer. Who’s the lucky bloke that has captured your heart?”

Bravely, Hermione stood and took a step toward him, quivering with excitement, and a small bit of lingering fear that this wasn’t real somehow. “You, Fred. It’s always been you.” Unable to breathe as she awaited his response, she looked down at the floor. Feeling his presence in front of her, she lifted her gaze and found herself being wrapped snugly in his arms. 

“Thank Merlin. I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited to hear you say that,” he whispered into her ear, sending a chill down her spine. Slipping one hand up her back, he moved the other to cup her cheek, tilting her face up toward his. Instinctively, she moved a hand up to play with the hair at the nape of his neck as the other rested on his shoulder. 

Gazing up at him, anticipation thick in the air between them, she couldn’t believe that this was actually happening. Fred smiled down at her, a soft, loving expression on his face. Caressing her cheek, he leaned in and covered her mouth with his. 

Hermione melted into him, her entire body humming with joy. Wanting more, she pulled him closer. Fred took the hint and deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue in to meet hers. This kiss was everything. It was better than anything she’d experienced in her entire life. Losing herself to the intoxicating sensations, she allowed herself to drift and stopped thinking. 

After several minutes, or it could have been hours for all she knew, they drew apart and Fred reached to cup both of her cheeks in his large hands. “Mi, did you mean everything you wrote earlier?”

Nodding shyly, she whispered, “Of course I did, truth spell, remember.”

“Good, because I’m desperately in love with you.”

“I love you too, but you already knew that.”

“Yeah, but it sounds wonderful hearing you say it.” Reaching up to stroke her hair, he asked, “How long?”

“I had a crush on you starting in my fourth year. It seemed as if you began to seek me out, talk to me more that year, and I saw that you did more than plot pranks, and have fun all the time. There was more to you... kindness, and sometimes a serious side that others didn’t seem to be allowed to see. I realized that it was much more than a crush when we thought you were dead...” Her voice broke and she was unable to finish, the memory of the horrible moment that she saw Fred’s lifeless body surrounded by his weeping family jumping to the forefront of her mind.

Fred pulled her in close, murmuring comfortingly in her ear. “It’s okay. That’s not what happened and I’m here with you now.”

She nodded, leaning into his embrace. Breathing in the comforting scent of him, Hermione took a moment to collect herself before attempting to speak. When she was sure that she wouldn’t burst into tears, she asked, “What about you?” 

“Your fourth year, of course. You were the witch I wanted to ask to the Yule Ball. Unfortunately, I was convinced you would reject me. Therefore, I didn’t work up the nerve and lost my chance to Krum.”

Smiling up at him in wonder, Hermione gestured to the unfinished game on the table in front of the sofa. “What happens if we don’t finish this tonight?”

“Why Ms. Granger, do you have other plans for me?”

“I do, indeed. But, I’m also curious.”

Laughing happily, he replied, “We will be unable to lie to anyone until we finish the game, not just to each other.”

“I still have two blank cards left, and you have one. Should we try to finish?”

Fred nodded, taking her by the hand and leading her to the sofa where he plopped down and pulled her into his lap. “Your question.”

“Alright, truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“I dare you to kiss me again.”

Fred grinned broadly before eagerly complying with her request.

When they broke apart again, he wasted no time asking, “Truth or dare?”

“I’m going to go with dare as well.” 

“I dare you to stay - stay the night, or stay forever, just say you’ll stay.”

Meeting Fred’s suddenly nervous gaze, she smiled. “Let’s start with the night. The rest is definitely up for discussion at a later date.”

Fred didn’t waste any time. He repositioned Hermione so that she was straddling his body and pulled her in for a passionate kiss. “If you’re sure, we should hurry and finish this last card. I’m ready to get on with our night.”

Hermione giggled. “I think we should save it for tomorrow morning. It might be nice to be completely certain about honesty tonight. That way, there’s no room for either of us to question anything. Besides, what’s the worst that can happen if we leave it for the morning?”

“That seems like very sound logic to me.” Taking her by the hand, he grabbed the champagne bottle and their glasses in his other and led her down the hallway to his bedroom. Stopping in front of the door, he asked, “Before we get too caught up, tell me what you want, and what’s off-limits. You’re far too important to me to chance pushing you into something that you’re not certain of.”

Rising up on her toes, Hermione pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. With an outwardly confident ease that was completely opposite of the nervous anticipation that was now making her hands tremble, she told him, “I want you. I’m perfectly open to letting things progress naturally. We’ve both apparently wanted this for a really long time. I see no reason to wait now.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to my amazing beta, Moonfairy13! I appreciate all of your hard work polishing this story for me! Any remaining mistakes are my own.

Groaning at her words, Fred captured Hermione’s lips, kissing her passionately. Without breaking the kiss, he maneuvered them through the doorway, kicked the door closed with his foot, and banished the champagne to his bedside table. As their snogging grew more intense, his hands started to roam down her body. Unable to wait a moment more, desperate to feel his skin against hers, Hermione pulled her jumper over her head then immediately went to work on the button-down shirt he wore. 

Trying to get his buttons to cooperate and open, quickly became a source of annoyance for Hermione. Fred chuckled when she growled in frustration and began to assist her with the task. When his shirt was finally open, she pressed her body against his, nearly frantic with need. Hermione gasped audibly when he lifted her easily and placed her gently on the edge of the bed. Crawling up next to her, Fred guided her until she lay back against the pillows. He caressed the exposed skin of her neck, whispering, “beautiful.”

Hermione still couldn’t believe that this was happening. It felt surreal, like a dream, but so much better than she could have possibly imagined. Not wanting to get lost in thought and miss an amazing moment with Fred, she forced herself to turn off her mind… stop thinking and just feel. 

Anticipation, joy, and nerves mingled together as she lay there, her body beginning to tremble with the overwhelming sensations. Concern filled Fred’s eyes as he gazed down at her. “Are you alright? We don’t have to do anything that you’re not ready for.” 

She shook her head, grabbing his arm as he began to move away. Not wanting a misunderstanding now, she struggled to find her voice. “It’s not that. I want this… you. There’s nothing I want more. It’s just that I’ve wanted it for so long that I’m finding it hard to believe that it’s actually happening, and…” Hermione trailed off, unable to find the words that she needed to explain exactly what she was feeling. Noticing the uncertainty on his face, she pushed on, needing him to comprehend. Reaching up, she caressed the side of his face, pulling him down for a soft kiss before saying, “It’s excitement, happiness, nervousness… feeling all of those sensations at once is causing a physical reaction. I promise that I’m ready for this. I have no doubts at all.” Smiling up at him, she reminded him, “If you recall, I’m still under the truth spell. There’s no reason for you to doubt what I’m saying. Please, Fred. Please, don’t stop.”

With a relieved sigh, Fred lowered his head, pressing open-mouthed kisses to the exposed flesh his fingers had explored moments before. She moaned as his tongue darted out to lick along the top edge of her bra. Gazing up at her with lust-filled eyes, he ran his fingers over the red satin. “Mmm,” he murmured appreciatively when her nipples pebbled.

Kissing his way back up her neck, Fred sucked and nipped at a spot just below her ear while his hands roamed over her shoulders and around her back to find the clasp of her bra. When he flicked it open, she tossed it to the floor, enjoying the sensations when he circled his tongue around her nipples and sucked each one into his mouth in turn.

As Fred lavished attention on her breasts, Hermione’s hand roamed down his chest and stomach, stopping when she reached the top of his trousers. With a single finger, she dipped into the top of his trousers, finding the elastic of his pants. Giggling at his moan, she continued her exploration, running the finger across the smooth skin just under his waistband. 

Not allowing her hand to dip further down just yet, she amused herself by exploring his low belly, and hips. When he sputtered out a playful, “tease.” She only laughed and pressed kisses to every bit of him that she could reach, while her hands moved to the button of his fly. 

Stopping what he was doing, Fred took over, unfastening and shucking out of his trousers with surprising speed. His hands moved to the snap of her jeans then and she lifted her bum off the bed to assist him with their removal. 

Heart pounding and feeling slightly breathless, Hermione lifted herself up on her forearms to take in his appearance. She’d enjoyed seeing him shirtless during the frequent Quidditch matches at the Burrow, but this was something else entirely. As her eyes roamed down his body, she noticed with interest that the hair of his treasure trail was the precise copper color of the hair on his head. She longed to lick along that path. Eyes lowering more, she saw the impressive evidence of his arousal jutting out from the confines of his silky purple boxers. Reaching down, she lifted her eyes to hold Fred’s gaze as she rubbed along his silk-covered length. “I like these.”

Hearing his moaned, “Hermione,” and seeing the way his eyes darkened and his Adam's apple bobbed sent a rush of moisture to her already drenched knickers. She needed him, now…

Fred apparently had the same thought and he practically tackled her to the bed. Taking her lips again, he snogged her until she was an aching, quivering mess as his hands roamed to her breasts and he ground his erection into her core.

Feeling the delicious friction of his hardened shaft pressing against her most sensitive parts, Hermione bucked her hips against him, wrapping her legs around his bum to pull him closer. 

Fred shook his head, “Not yet.” Kissing down her body, he looked back up at her, “I want to taste you first.” Hermione’s belly quivered with anticipation as she watched him move between her legs. Reaching the edge of her knickers, he wasted no time in removing the garment. Sitting up slightly he took in her now fully nude body, eyes full of masculine appreciation. Without warning, he lowered his head and buried his face in her folds. As she moaned and writhed in pleasure, he explored all of her with his talented tongue. When she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he sucked her clit into his mouth, flicking it over and over with the tip of his tongue while inserting two fingers into her, expertly applying just the right amount of pressure. 

Silently, she writhed above him, incapable of speech as the pleasure overtook her. Soon, she was incoherent as she fisted the sheets and her head thrashed from side to side on the pillow. Her legs shook around Fred’s head as her walls began to flutter around his fingers. When Hermione screamed in pleasure, he stilled his tongue, keeping it against the little bundle of nerves, allowing her to ride out the orgasm fully. 

When her legs collapsed bonelessly onto the bed, Fred moved back up her body, grinning broadly, clearly pleased at his achievement. She kissed him thoroughly. Drawing back slightly, she rested her forehead against his. “Wow, Fred, just wow. That was amazing. Why on earth did we wait this long?” 

As he chuckled, she reached down and began removing his boxers. Rising to her knees, she leaned down and licked along his length before taking him fully into her mouth. Fred reached down, taking her by the shoulders, stilling her movements. “That feels phenomenal, but if you don’t want everything to be over too quickly, I would suggest you stop.” His gaze bore into her eyes, making her heart skip a beat. “We don’t have to do anything more, but if you’re wanting me inside you before midnight, you can’t keep that up.” 

_ Yes, yes, yes _ , she wanted that! “I haven’t changed my mind. I want to know what it feels like to have you inside of me. I’ve fantasized about this for years. There’s nothing that I want more.” 

“Thank Merlin,” he sighed in obvious relief, causing her to giggle once again. “Are you on the potion or do we need the charm?”

She smiled, “Potion. We’re good.”

Pulling her up, he quickly flipped them so that Hermione was once again lying back against the pillows. He hovered over her, smiling softly down at the witch he now knew he would never let go before slanting his lips across hers. The kiss was gentle but passionate. It felt as if Fred was pouring every emotion that he felt into that kiss. This was so much more than she could have ever imagined. And Hermione had spent many hours imagining it beginning in her fourth year at Hogwarts. It was in the dark of night, secure in her four-poster that she allowed herself to visualize how it would feel for him to touch her. And now, the way he made her feel was better than she had ever expected. It was perfect. 

She felt him slide a finger through her folds, slipping it inside. “You’re still positively sopping.” He murmured this against her lips before pulling back to look deep into her eyes. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

With that single word, Fred slid into her, still holding her gaze. Placing a sweet kiss on her lips, he waited, giving Hermione time to adjust to being stretched around him before he pushed up on his arms and began to move. 

Being filled by Fred was more wonderful than Hermione had ever dreamed. Their bodies fit together more perfectly than she’d imagined possible. It was as if they were made for each other. Realizing how right this was, made the moment even more intimate somehow. Her heart swelled with love for him. 

Before long, the sensations of physical contact combined with the raw emotion she was feeling became almost overwhelming - in the most wonderful way. As she felt the tension build low in her belly, Hermione snaked her hand between their bodies. Knowing that she couldn’t get there without just a little help. Pressing two fingers against her clit, she moved in rhythm with his thrusts.

“Gods... That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” groaned Fred, shifting their position so that he was sitting back on his heels allowing him to watch as Hermione used her fingers to increase her own pleasure. He reached under her, lifting her bum and changing the angle in the most delicious way. Before her vision blurred, Hermione saw that his eyes remained focused on the place where they were joined. He was watching, apparently mesmerized, as his cock thrust in and out of her, and her fingers as they moved, chasing her pleasure. 

The intensity of her orgasm took her by surprise. Hermione cried out, “FRED!” As fireworks flashed behind the lids of her closed eyes. While the waves of pleasure rolled over her body, she felt Fred tense as he reached his own completion.

Fred collapsed on top of her, careful to keep his full weight on his arms. Peppering her with kisses he withdrew his softening penis and grabbed his wand murmuring an incantation to clean them both. Shifting their position Fred wrapped her in his arms, guiding Hermione’s head to pillow against his chest. 

Exhausted and sated, they drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks to Moonfairy13 for her amazing beta skills! I truly appreciate your help with this story! Any remaining mistakes are my own. 
> 
> We've come to the end of this little story. Thank you to everyone who has commented, left kudos, and read my story. I'm grateful for your support!

Hermione woke first. Finding herself still wrapped in Fred’s arms made her heart swell. She’d been worried that it had all been a very vivid dream. Hermione still couldn’t believe that she was this lucky, that he really shared her feelings. 

Desperately needing the loo, Hermione slipped carefully out of Fred’s grasp and tiptoed to the en suite. When she was done, she took a second to freshen her mouth with her wand before slipping back into bed. Fred was still sleeping. Hermione snuggled back in, attempting to go back to sleep, but found herself tempted by his still naked body pressed intimately against her equally nude frame. Allowing herself the pleasure of exploring her wizard’s body, she ran her hands up and down his lean muscular form.

Fred came awake with a gasp. “Hermione, gods… what are you doing to me? You should wake me like this every day…” Without another word, he wrapped her in his arms, shifting her to lay atop his body. 

A long while later, slightly breathless after a round of lazy morning lovemaking, Hermione collapsed on top of Fred and felt him pull the sheet up around their bodies. As they lay there, sharing kisses and murmuring their love for each other, the door to Fred’s bedroom suddenly banged open, revealing George. He stood there in the open doorway, his initial look of surprise turning smug. “Finally figured it out, did you?”

“Yes, and if you could be so kind as to leave us, we will continue to figure it out, thanks.” Fred admonished, quickly patting the covers around them and wrapping his arms more securely around Hermione’s body to make sure that naked form was fully hidden from view. 

“Well, Angie is here with me. I think it’s only fair that since we had our evening interrupted last night that you can join us for some breakfast now. I want to talk to you about our unexpected visitor.”

That caught Fred’s attention. He sat up slightly, craning his neck to see his twin better. “Would it happen to be the same unexpected visitor that Hermione and I had to deal with?”

“Got it in one, brother of mine.” George nodded, rolling his eyes and pressing his lips together in a firm line. 

Fred hauled himself up further and pressed a sweet kiss to Hermione’s lips. “Sorry, Mi. I think that maybe we should go see what’s going on.” Turning to George he said, “Give us a few minutes to shower and get dressed and we’ll be out.” He paused then added, “Make us some breakfast while you are waiting, yeah?”

As soon as George closed the door behind him, Hermione buried her face in Fred’s chest. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, love. Georgie knows how long I’ve had feelings for you. He’s just happy for us. Maybe a little annoyed about having to clean up the mess with Vanessa, but thrilled that we’re together now.” All of a sudden he burst into laughter. Waggling his eyebrows up and down he said, “Just be glad he didn’t show up five minutes earlier.”

Hermione’s eyes grew round and she felt her face heat just from the thought of something so mortifying. “From now on, we set wards even if we are here alone. It’s obvious that George is far too free with invading your personal space. Does the rest of your family do that as well?”

Fred only chuckled. “Georgie is the worst about it. Comes from sharing a bedroom and then a flat for the entirety of our lives until he moved out. The others have their moments though. Could…” He paused, choking on his own laughter. Taking several wheezing breaths, he was finally able to get the rest out. “Could you imagine Ron’s face if it had been him?”

Even Hermione couldn’t control the giggles at the thought. Yes, it would be terribly embarrassing but Ron’s reaction may make it worth the awkwardness. 

Fred nudged her, “Come on, love. We need to get cleaned up. I have plans for our shower.”

“We are only showering. I couldn’t possibly do anything knowing that George and Angie are waiting in the kitchen.”

She remembered her words a short while later when her face and chest were pressed up against the cool tile of the shower walls as Fred entered her from behind. Hermione simply couldn’t resist this man and she found that she didn’t mind that nearly as much as she thought she would. 

Walking into the kitchen a bit later, they were serenaded with loud catcalls from George. He eyed them with raised eyebrows, snickering. “That shower took quite a bit longer than I expected. I’ve cleaned up the mess you left in the kitchen and made tea and toast. What exactly kept you?”

The words slipped effortlessly from Hermione’s mouth before she could think twice. “I told Fred that I wasn’t going to do anything in the shower, with the two of you here, but he’s extremely persuasive.” Clapping a hand across her mouth, she looked at Fred with horror. As he and George both burst into laughter, Angelina looked at her sympathetically.

Fred recovered quickly, “I’m sorry, love. We need to go finish that game before this gets any worse.”

“How could it possibly get any worse?”

He answered the question and she immediately wished that she hadn’t said anything. “Well, you could have told them how very talented I am with my fingers, tongue, and...”

Interrupting him before he could say more, she pulled him from the room. “The game, NOW! We need to finish that last card.”

Snatching her last blank card off the table, she asked “Truth or dare?”

Smiling, he answered, “Truth.”

Thinking for a moment, she asked the one thing she still felt unsure about. “How do you think the rest of your family will take it when they find out that we are together.”

Fred moved forward, taking her in his arms. “Are you worried about that?”

She nodded, “A bit, yes.”

Placing a finger under her chin so she would look up at him instead of burying her face in his shoulder, he placed a gentle kiss to her lips. “I promise there’s nothing to worry about. They love you already. Chances are, Mum has been wishing for this outcome for years. I know she’s always thought of you as another daughter. She’s probably already planning our wedding.” Fred paused to chuckle a little at that thought. “She’s going to be a nightmare about that. You should prepare yourself.” Smiling down at her, he continued. “As for everyone else, I don’t think they will be surprised. Bill and Charlie figured it out years ago. They’ve had great fun taking the piss anytime they can. Dad and Percy were both around enough to have overheard their fun. Ginny definitely knows as well. She’s been on my case about asking you out for ages. Then there’s Ron. And, I know that he’s the one you’re most concerned about. I think he will be happy. I’ve seen him watch us interact when we are all together. He’s kept quiet, which is unusual for him, but I think it’s because he approves.”

  
  


Hermione snuggled into him, feeling better about the situation, but still a little nervous. It was a little irrational because no one had a reason to be against their relationship. She just worried that this was all too good to be true. After wanting this for so long, it had all happened so quickly and perfectly. While that concerned her a bit, she knew that what she had with Fred was real and she had a bloody game to thank for that feeling of security. 

“Were you planning to come to Sunday dinner at mum’s?” Fred asked, sounding a tiny bit insecure himself.

Feeling slightly guilty for putting even the smallest bit of doubt in his mind, Hermione smiled up at Fred. “Of course. I’m not planning on hiding out and not telling everyone about what we have together. I’ll just be a little worried until I’ve seen for myself that they are truly okay with us becoming a couple.”

“Good.” Leaning down to place another kiss on her lips, he tugged her back toward the kitchen. “Let’s go back to George and Angie.”

“Wait,” She planted her feet, refusing to move. Her face turning red as she recalled the morning’s events. “I’m mortified. I can’t face them right now.”

“Sure you can. They’re happy for us. Anyway,” he grinned mischievously, “don’t you want to hear what kind of trouble Vanessa caused for them?”

Tempted, but still unsure about facing the other couple, Hermione thought for a moment. Making her decision, she allowed Fred to maneuver her back into the other room. As they entered, they saw that Angie and George were already sipping their tea. Angie lifted her head and discreetly winked at Hermione. Understanding the wink to mean that she’d forbidden George from teasing her relentlessly, Hermione mouthed, “Thanks,” before taking a seat at the table and claiming her own tea. Finding that she was ravenous, she grabbed a slice of toast from the platter in the center of the table. 

Fred squeezed her thigh reassuringly under the table before looking at George and Angelina expectantly. “What happened last night?”

George answered, “We were just getting to umm… dessert,” quickly amending whatever he was about to say when Angie shot him a look that clearly told him to shut up or face the consequences later. He smirked at her and continued, “when the Floo lit up and Vanessa stepped out in tears. She was incoherent at first so it took a bit of doing to get her to calm down enough to tell us what was wrong. When we found out what she had done, she was told again that she wasn’t welcome to bother you, and Angie let her know that she’d ruined any chance of continuing their friendship. The woman is delusional. I pity the poor bloke that does end up with her!”

Angelina spoke up then. “You can’t imagine how badly I feel about all of this. I suspected that she was trying to gain Fred’s attention, but I never thought she would behave like she did last night. I’m sorry for ever bringing her here, Fred.” She paused, looking down at her hands which were folded in her lap. Fred began to speak, but she stopped him with a lifted finger. “Wait a moment. I have something else to say. I don’t want you to worry that Vanessa will bother the two of you again.” Smirking, she met George’s eyes before continuing with a glint in her eye. “I made her promise that she wouldn’t ever try to contact either of you and…” glancing at Hermione, she grinned broadly, “I took a page out of your book. If she ignores her promise and tries anyway, it will make what happened to Marietta look like child’s play.”

Fred turned in George’s direction nodding enthusiastically. Turning to Angelina, he wiped a fake tear from his eye before telling her, “Ang, I’m proud of you for keeping the spirit of mischief alive. You’ve shown that bitch what it’s like to go up against the Weasleys. So, there’s no need to feel bad. You couldn’t have known that she was completely nuts. There was no real harm done, thankfully. I’m just sorry that the two of you had to deal with her as well.” Hermione chimed in, agreeing with everything Fred had just said. Then she looked on in amusement as he looked down at the toast in his hand, finally throwing it back on the platter in disgust. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starved. Toasted bread isn’t going to do today. Let’s go out for a real meal. I feel like celebrating.”

  
  


xXx

One year later…

Hermione was due home any minute. Fred knew that he needed to rush if he was going to carry off his plans for the evening. Their year had been amazing and he hoped that it would only get better later that night. 

He’d convinced her to move in not long after the two of them had announced their new relationship at the weekly Weasley family dinner at the Burrow. That dinner had gone better than either of them had expected. In fact, no one seemed surprised about their romance. It seemed that neither of them had been subtle about their interest and the two of them had been the only ones who didn’t know. 

With everything in place, Fred paced nervously. He hadn’t intended to do any of this so quickly, but it just seemed right. Looking around the room, he smiled, pleased with how it had turned out. Everything was precisely as it had been when she’d arrived last Valentine’s Day. He’d used a pensive to be certain of the placement. 

Finally, Hermione made it home and her reaction certainly made all of his hard work worth the effort he’d put in. They enjoyed dinner, then Fred led her into the sitting room where he’d already set up the game. 

“Fred, what’s all of this?” Eyeing the Truth or Dare game that was set up on the table, she turned to him with an amused expression. “Trying to get into my knickers again?”

Winking, Fred smiled smugly and waggled his eyebrows at her. “You’ll just have to find out, won’t you.” He gestured for her to take a seat. When she did, he asked, “Truth or dare?”

She assessed him with a speculative look, clearly wondering what he had up his sleeve. After appearing to contemplate her choices for several minutes, she finally answered. “Truth, I suppose.”

The words that Fred had rehearsed in his head so many times over the last few weeks wouldn’t come now that the moment had arrived. His heart thundered so loudly in his own ears that he wondered how Hermione didn’t hear it herself. With sweating palms, and a throat that had gone dry, he lowered himself to kneel before her and took her hand. When she drew in a sharp intake of breath, he looked up at her and smiled, reassured by the sheen that he could see forming in her eyes. “Hermione, last year on this day, you made me happier than I’d ever dreamed of being. I didn’t realize then that each day with you would be better than the one before. I love you. Make me the happiest man on earth by saying that you’ll be with me forever. Will you marry me?” He asked, revealing the ring that he’d concealed in the hand not holding hers.

Without even glancing at the ring that he held, Hermione launched herself into his arms, exclaiming, “Yes, yes, a million times yes!” And kissing every inch of his face she could before finding his mouth with hers and snogging him enthusiastically.”

Fred’s heart was still racing when they drew apart. He couldn’t believe that she’d agreed to be officially his for the rest of their days. Even though they’d moved in together already, he couldn’t wait to be married and truly begin their lives together. 

He glanced up, meeting Hermione’s expectant gaze, “Well, aren’t you going to put the ring on me?” she asked cheekily. 

When he’d slid it onto her finger, she admired it happily for a few moments before looking at the game that they’d only just begun. “My turn, truth or dare?”

“We can finish it tomorrow. We have some celebrating to do now.” Fred insisted, attempting to pull her in the direction of their bedroom.

“Nope. Not this time. Answer the question.” Hermione said adamantly. 

Sighing, Fred shrugged, resigned to doing as she bade but disappointed all the same. “Dare I suppose.”

Hermione took a blank card from the deck, but instead of speaking, she grabbed her wand and wordlessly summoned a small package. When it was in her hands, she held it out to him, “I dare you to open this.”

Confused, Fred removed the plain white paper from the small box. He withdrew the smallest article of clothing he’d ever seen. It was a tiny t-shirt. Seeing that it had something written on it, he read…  _ The Legacy of Mischief Continues. _

Feeling incredibly weak, Fred looked from the tiny shirt in his hands to Hermione’s stomach. Did this mean what he thought it meant? In a voice that shook with emotion he asked, “Are you, are we… are we having a baby?”

With an expression that Fred couldn't hope to decipher, Hermione only pointed to the game on the table. “Now Freddie, remember that we’re playing a game. You must ask the question properly or it won’t count.”

Exasperated, Fred snatched a card off the table. “Truth or dare, Mi?”

Sticking her tongue out at him, she replied, “truth,” with a voice that couldn’t contain her laughter.

“Are we really having a baby?”

Throwing herself into his arms again, Hermione answered through what were clearly happy tears. “Yes, yes, we are.”

Fred was wrong. He’d only thought that it couldn’t get better than when she’d agreed to marry him. Now, at this moment, he knew that he was capable of producing the most powerful Patronus in the world. He felt invincible. As he spun his witch around the room in a joyous celebration, he knew without a doubt that it would only keep getting better and better. 


End file.
